Chocolate covered oranges are one of my favorite desserts. If you make them with extra dark chocolate, they’re not just tasty, but also very healthy.
Winter is the perfect time to make chocolate covered oranges!
I adore oranges – they are truly nature’s dessert. Just like strawberries, oranges don’t really NEED a coating of chocolate. But one can’t deny that the combination of chocolate and fruit is amazing and that a coating of rich, dark chocolate greatly enhances fruit.
Use dark chocolate for a truly healthy dessert
One of my favorite homemade desserts is chocolate covered strawberries. They are so tasty and so easy to make at home. Chocolate covered oranges are a close second (Chocolate covered banana bites are also excellent, though higher in carbs). They are rich and decadent. And the best part – if you use very dark chocolate, this is actually a very healthy dessert.
Oranges are obviously very healthy, although on a keto diet you would want to limit them. And happily, current research tells us that dark chocolate is quite the superfood. Cocoa and dark chocolate polyphenols exert important antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Cocoa provides cardiovascular benefits, but once made into chocolate, those benefits are less pronounced. Which is why it’s important to stick with dark chocolate when making chocolate covered oranges – the darker the better.
What type of oranges should I use in this recipe?
When making chocolate covered oranges, it’s best to use oranges that you can peel and section easily, because you want uniform orange segments. So mandarin oranges work well in this recipe. Although I often use an ordinary small orange and manage just fine. And if you can get blood oranges, they look especially pretty when coated with chocolate.
How to store chocolate covered oranges
Store them in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Remove them from the fridge an hour before you plan on serving them.
Chocolate Covered Oranges
INGREDIENTS
- 1 large mandarin orange or 1 small orange
- 1 oz very dark chocolate (I used Lindt 90%)
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
INSTRUCTIONS
- Peel the orange and divide it into segments.
- Place the chocolate and oil in a small microwave-safe bowl and melt in the microwave, in 20-second increments, stirring after each session.
- Use a small spoon to “paint” half of each orange segment with the melted chocolate.
- Place the chocolate covered oranges on a wax-paper-lined plate. Freeze for 10 minutes to set, then serve.
